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Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:52 GMT 23:52 UK

I swear the audience loudly clapped loudly clapped both a speaker who demanded that we spend more, much more on defence, and then promptly equally loudly clapped one saying that we should spen less. I'd opt for more myself.

Richard, Glasgow, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:41 GMT 23:41 UK

British troops have never been fully equiped. The same has been said for all wars, Crimea, Zulu, Boer, 1st and 2nd World, Falklands... Because we are now there is no excuse for us to stay there. Can it really be proved that us being there is preventing 'terrorism'. Remember Iraq was about WMD not democracy etal... so what is Afganistan really about. History shows, Britain Failed, Russia Failed, Britain Failed again, USSR Failed... Is this USA arrogance. Why fight a war we can't win.

Gary Peach, Woking, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:41 GMT 23:41 UK

I think it is ridiculous that politicians continue to say that this war is in our best interest. How can it be? All I see is our young troops losing their lives all because America jumped in head first to a war the Russians could not win decades ago. The go on about terrorism and the need to stop the Taliban from attacking us. Well lets see how they can achieve that? Will the Taliban board a plane with 50 caliber weapons fly over and attack us? I don't think so. The war is wrong!

John, Greenock, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:33 GMT 23:33 UK

The fact is Afghanistan is a hard, tough war and casulties are inevitable. The only resolution in Afghanistan will ultimately be a political one, with the military operation playing an essential part. Nick Clegg should not have made his comments. As a major world power we made the decision to intervene in Afghanistan for sound reasons. During these tough times we need leadership from our politicans not cheap point scoring.

David Jack, Edinburgh, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:30 GMT 23:30 UK

Re troops in Iraq and Afganistan. A great number of terrorist attacks on this country are because we are there. I cannot see how us being there makes Britain a safer place.

bill evans, Oswestry, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:24 GMT 23:24 UK

british soilders dont get alot of money but they need to think about what they get free im starting my army training and i will get alot out of it but the only thing i dont agree with is the way newspaper and the news do not care about the deaths of the troops they think its just a death but its not they dont all die the same way them people have families and when that high ranking officer who died was in the news but the over soilder they dint even spend 5 seconds on him

peter, Lancaster, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:22 GMT 23:22 UK

How would the young redheaded lad feel if one day one of his family was murdered by a terroist bomb. The government needs to spend more on defence, that said most MP have no idea what there talking about when dealing with the military. The the Guys on the ground do their job and with the correct gear to hand.

Darren, Plymouth, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:21 GMT 23:21 UK

I love watching smug, spoiled, pampered, pseudo-sophisticated Western teenagers giving their expert foreign policy advice on why we should abandon Afghanistan

NJ, Coatbridge, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:20 GMT 23:20 UK

I am a serving soldier who has served four tours in Afghanistan. It is reassuring to see the general support for out troops from your audience. Thanks to them all. However, we would all rather fight in afghanistan than in the UK. Be in no doubt, this is where they ant to bring the fight! Just as a post script, we are fighting for each other not for this government who sent us to another war on a lie! I will never trust them again EVER!

Linda, City of Bath, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:20 GMT 23:20 UK

I am surprised and delighted to see so many young people with great ideas and strong opinions about Afghanistan. More, More, More! They should be running the country, then we wouldn't need to send young men to their deaths in this pointless way.

Jos Thomas, Rochester, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:13 GMT 23:13 UK

My nephew is fighting in Afghanistan at the moment. Our boys are without kit because our government thinks that spending money on "internal enqueries" into the likes of the Rover Scandal (17m as i beleive it is upto now) hmmm how much kit could our boys have had for that ?

Michelle, Salford, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:13 GMT 23:13 UK

The use of troops as a solution in Afghanistan is clear proof of the failure of any political attempts to deal with their issues. Once we've sent our sons to face death, no politician in any party should be undermining their morale in theater. On the matter of whether or not they are well equipped - what did our cold war presence operate with before now? despite all the kit claims, our army has better equipment

E Murphy, Tullibody, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 22:10 GMT 23:10 UK

I rather fear that Nick Clegg has said what a lot of British people feel about our soldiers serving in Afghanistan. We have recently seen a lot of our soldiers killed in Afghanistan who are doing a very important job in that country but at great cost to themselves. They should have the best equipment available to them while fighting the Taliban to ensure an early victory. It is important that the Taliban are defeated not only for Afghans but for Britain as well as has been pointed out this week.

Steve Fuller, Hove, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 19:43 GMT 20:43 UK

It's all very well saying that 6 million Afghans are now in education compared to 1 million before we went in but would the MP's sacrifice themselves or their children to achieve this? Our troops are for the defense of the realm

Ian, Worcester, UK, England,